RE: Freedom Beyond Building Codes | DIY Natural Building @mountainjewel
The codes... and the idea that a septic tank is ok. Well I guess a septic tank made the right way, would be slightly better than an old school out house with a ditch. It's going to be difficult for us in New York State to convince the town we can compost our black gold... but we'll try.
It is really great that you have no codes, I know you will build consciously in terms of using local, natural materials but also in safety.
Education is missing on natural building... in underdeveloped areas people are taking out life long loans to tear down their cobb homes to build with concrete blocks and corrugated steel roofs just to feel like they are joining the developed world. Really hot in the sun, really cold in winter and really loud in monsoun season, the illusion of civilisation really sucks!
Enough ranting, that was an awesome post @mountainjewel, thanks for sharing!
our cultural ideas are indeed fairly archaic. I hope you can talk some sense into the folks that make decisions in NY and let logic prevail!
I hope we can exemplify non professionals with a passion creating beauty through artful land-based living. This is still in the works....
It is TOTALLY crazy that the development craze is so rampant. I've seen it throughout my global foray and it's boggling to think that both the "civilized" and "natural" humans want what the other has. Neither culture has it all, but i suppose with making natural building "cool" and modern it may hold sway.
Glad you enjoyed it @senorcoconut!
Yes, lets make that change. It can happen, I mean look at strawbale structures. There is now a chapter on it in in the international building code which has been adopted by new york state.
I found out when I asked our town's building engineer, what would it take to build a strawbale home. He plans that make sense was all he needed as long as they are within the code provided. That was a happy moment, at least we don't have to convince anyone, a straw bale house can be structurally sound...and more fire proof than a framed house!